Suction cleaner



March 7 v1933.

w. D SELL E RS SUCTIQN CLEANER Filed Feb. 12, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l v frat/6702b mwmmp 665 6715,

March 7, 1933. w., D. SELLERS SUCTION CLEANER ZSheets-Shet 2 Filed Feb. 12, 1951 Mew??? Patented Mar. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT \OFFICE- WILLIAM D. SELLERS, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE HOOVER COMPANY,

' OF NORTH CANTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO SUCTION CLEANER Application filed February 12, 1931. Serial No. 515,192.

This invention relates to suction cleaners and comprises the provision of a new and improved cleaner construction in which the point of surface covering agitation is exactly coincident with the point of maximum air cleaning effectiveness. More specifically the invention comprises the provision, in a suction cleaner nozzle, of an air tunnel which contains air at substantially atmospheric pressure which is provided, in substantially the plane of the nozzle lips, with agitating lips under which the cleaning air must pass in gaining entrance to the surrounding main' nozzle which is directly provided with suction by the suction-creating fan of the cleaner.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved suction cleaner construction. A further object is the provision in a suction cleaner of an improved construction in which the point of air-cleaning eifectiveness is coincident with the point of surface covering agitation. Still another object is theprovision, within a suction cleaner nozzle, of an air tunnel connected with the ambient from which cleaning air passes into the main nozzle at the point at which the surface covering is being positively agitated by means carried by the air tunnel. Still another object is the provision, in a suction cleaner, of a rigid air tunnel within the nozzle, which is provided with positively agitated lips which contact the surface covering between the main nozzle lips and under which cleaning air passes in gaining entrance to the main nozzle. Still another object is the provision, in a suction cleaner, of a stationary air tunnel within the main nozzle which is provided with positively vibrated pilepenetrating lips which contact the lifted surface covering between the main nozzle lips and under which the cleaning air passes in gaining entrance to the main nozzle.' A still further object isthe provision, in a suction nozzle provided with broad'sealing lips, of a rigid stationary air tunnel containing air at substantially atmospheric pressure which is provided with vibrated lips of the penetrating type which agitate the surface covering between the main nozzle lips. Other and more specific objects will appear upon reading the specification and claims and considering in connection therewith the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed;

Fig. 1 is a side view, partly in section, of a :uction cleaner embodying the present invent- Fig. 2 is a partial front view of the machine shown in Fig. 1 with certain parts of the nozzle broken away disclosing the air tunnel therein;

Fig. 3 is an end View of the nozzle looking 1n the dlrection of the arrows upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section upon the line 44 of Fig. 2, showing the power-transmitting mechanism; I F Fig. 5 is a section upon the line 55 of The present invention is embodied in a suction cleaner which comprises parts found in the usual suction cleaner, including the nozzle 1 comprising front and rear walls 2 and 3 which are provided with lower-surfacecontacting extremities 2a and 3a of relatively great width and so known as broadsealing nozzle lips a fan chamber 4 which is shown in the present instance as formed integrally with nozzlel and which houses a suction-creating fan 5 which functions, in the operation of the machine, to create areduced pressure within the nozzle 1 thru drawing air therefrom thru fan chamber inlet 4a and exhausting it thru-a suitable exhaust outlet which .is'not shown; the motor casing 6- which houses a suitable driving motor 7 the cleaning art and industry as an air-conducting means which is so constructed and positioned in the suction cleaner that it functions to conduct air at substantially atmospheric pressure to a point in the cleaner at which the low pressure created by the suction-creating means is effective. An air tunnel is inherently provided with means to exhaust the air which it contains in order that that air may assist in the cleaning operation. Air tunnel 12 is rigidly supported thru being suitably attached at its ends to the removable nozzle end plates 13, 13 which are themselves secured to the nozzle by means of screws 14, 14 etc. Tunnel 12 is an inverted U in cross section and there are positioned adjacent and parallel to its lower extremities, and so to the main nozzle lips 2a and 3a, surface-contacting members or lips 15, 15 which are pivotally mounted, by means of shafts 16, 16 carried by a suitable bearing support 17 on each end plate 13. Each lip 15 is sealed to the adjacent lower extremit of the air tunnel 12 by means of a flexible air tight sealing strip 18 which functions to prevent passage of air between the upper extremity of the lips 15, 15 and the lower extremities of the rigid side walls of the tunnel. The surface-contacting members 15, 15 are so arranged that the contact the surface covering which is un ergoing cleaning between the lips 2a and 3a of the main nozzle, 1 and are, as is clearly shown in the drawings, of relatively small width as compared to the main nozzle lips or as compared to ordinary nozzle lips and are of a type known as pile-penetrating because of their inherent characteristic of extending between the adjacent tufts and rows of pile. It is clear that the air, which has entered the air tunnel 12 thru the openings 19, 19 in each of the nozzle end walls, must, if it is to enter the main nozzle 1 in response to the reduced pressure existing therein, pass under the pile-penetrating lips 15, 15.

In order to provide the maximum cleaning efficiency it is necessary that the pile-penetrating lips 15, 15 be positively actuated and to accomplish this result a power transmission mechanism, the body of which is indicated generally by the reference character 20, is positioned within the nozzle 1 at substantially the center thereof. This power transmission mechanism is connected to the divided inner ends of each of the lip-supportmg shafts 16, 16 and serves to actuate the nozzle lips thru transmitting a driving force from the motor 7 into an alternate rotary movement in the lips 15, 15. The body 20 of the mechanism is seated within a suitable recess 21 provided in the air tunnel 12 and is secured in place as by screws 22, 22. The body 20 extends rearwardly from the air tunnel to the rear wall 3 of the nozzle where it is suitably secured as by means of a screw 23. It is to be noted that the rear wall 3 of the nozzle is provided with a recess, indicated at 24 in Figure 2, in which the body 20 is positioned, said body being provided with a downwardly extended extremity 25 at the lower end of which is a broad portion 25a which serves as a part of the rear nozzle lip 3a with the mechanism in place within the nozzle. This construction permits the removal of the mechanism and the air tunnel as a unit from the main nozzle 1 upon the detaching of the supporting screws 14, 14 etc. of the end plates 13 and the downward displacement of said end plates.

Within the body of the mechanism are toggles 26 and 27 which are seated within suitable bearings 28 and 29, each toggle having its upper rounded end within the horizontallyr extending guideway 30 of the body 20.

ithin guideway 30 is a reciprocating member or shaft 31, which is connected to the driving motor 7 in a manner to be hereinafter described, and which is provided with a recess 32 which includes the upper ends of the toggles 26 and 27 while cooperating members 33 and 34 within the recess and between the toggles serve to retain the upper ends thereof in contact with the adjacent sides of the recess 32 thru being forced apart by means of a compression spring 35. The lip-supporting shafts 16, 16 are divided at the body 20, each half being provided with a squared end which is seated within a toggle and coincides with the axis about which the toggle is pivoted.

The driving shaft 31, which as aforedescribed is connected to the toggles, projects rearwardly thru the rear wall 3 of the nozzle and under the fan chamber 4 into a suitable housing which is provided by a removable plate 36 secured below said chamber and the motor casing 6. The plate 36 forms a chamber 37 below the motor casing 6 into which projects a rotatable shaft 38 which is suitably supported in the motor casing 1 by means of a rigid hollow column 39 having bearings 39a and '39?) at its ends. Shaft 38 is driven by the motor by means of a Worm gear 40 on the motor shaft 8 which is intermeshed with a spiral gear 41 on the shaft. In the chamber 37 at the lower end of the shaft 38 an eccentric driving pin or crank 42 is carried which seats within a suitable yoke 43 on the end of the reciprocating shaft 31 in a common and well known crank and yoke connection and which functions to reciprocate shaft 31 when shaft 38 is rotated by the motor.

In the operation of the cleaner constructed in accordance with the present invention as the motor rotates the suction-creating fan 5 creates a reduced pressure within the nozzle 1 which functions to lift the surface covering undergoing cleaning from the supporting surface into contact with the broad sealing lips 2a and 3a which, because of their relative great breadth serve to substantially pre- Vent the further passage of air between themselves and the surface covering. The supply of air being cut ofl under the main nozzle lips air is drawn from the air tunnel 12, having entered therein thru the apertures 19, 19 in the end Walls of the nozzle, and passes under the pile-penetrating lips 15', 15 which are extended into the surface covering. Lips 15, 15 are actuated with a high speed alternate rotary motion or vibration about their supporting shafts 16, 16 byv means of the aforedescribed power-transmitting means between the driving motor 7 and the shafts 16, 16. The cleaning air therefore, is directed to the exact point at which the surface covering is being agitated and vibrated and the result is greater cleaning efficiency than in the usual cleaner in which the cleaning air enters under the main lips of the nozzle and the agitator is spaced at a distance therefrom.

The construction in which the present invention is embodied is particularly simple and may be disassembled readily by removing the supporting means for the end plate of the nozzle; removing the screw 23 which serves to secure the body 20 of the power-transmitting mechanism to the rear wall 3; removing the bottom plate 36 of the chamber 37; and the entire air tunnel, power-transmitting mechanism, agitating lips and the shaft 81 are removable as a unit from the cleaner proper.

I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle, a stationary air tunnel interiorly connected to atmosphere supported in said nozzle and having a downwardly facing exhaust outlet, surface-contacting agitating means carried by said air tunnel at the sides of said outlet, and means to impart an alternate-rotary move ment to said agitating means.

2. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle, a stationary air tunnel in said nozzle having an exhaust opening within said nozzle and interiorly connected to a source of cleaning fluid at ahigher pressure than the fluid within said nozzle, means directing the air from said tunnel against the surface covering undergolng cleaning includlng a surface-covering agitator carried by said air-tunnel and defining one side of the exhaust opening therein and means to impart an oscillating motion to said agitating means.

3. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle, broad sealing-lips upon said nozzle, a hollow stationary member within said nozzle interiorly connected to the atmosphere, said member having an exhaust outlet in said nozzle, means directing the air passing thru said outlet against a surface covering undergoing cleaning including an agitating element carried by said nozzle adjacent said exhaust outlet and extending substantially into the plane of the nozzle lips, and means to actuate said agitator with an alternate rotarymovement.

into the plane of the nozzle lips, and means to impart an alternate rotary movement to said agitator.

5. A suction cleaner comprising a nozzle, a suction-creating device to draw air thru said nozzle, an open-bottomed air tunnel in teriorly connected to atmosphere positioned in said nozzle, and movable agitating lips in said nozzle defining the sides of said air tunnel, characterized by the fact that said agitating lips are extremely thin being of the pile-penetrating type and are provided with an alternate arcuate rotary movement.

6. In a suction cleaner, a suction nozzle, spaced lips upon said nozzle adapted to contact the surface covering undergoing cleaning, means to draw air thru said nozzle, a stationary housing Within said nozzle interiorly connected tothe atmosphere and'having a downwardly facing opening, movable surface-contacting elements sealed to said housing defining said opening and extended into the plane of said nozzle lips being adapted to contact the surface covering therebetween, and means to Vibrate said surface-contacting elements.

7. In a suction cleaner, a suction nozzle, spaced-lips upon said nozzle defining a nozzle mouth, means to draw air thru said nozzle and to lift the surface covering undergoing cleaning against said nozzle lips, a stationary air tunnel in said nozzle connected interiorly to a source of air pressure greater than that in said nozzle, said tunnel having an opening facing the surface covering undergoing cleaning, pivoted rigid lips in said nozzle defining said tunnel opening and adapted to contact the surface covering undergoing cleaning, and means to reciprocate said lips relative to said air tunnel and to said nozzle to agitate the surface covering.

8. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle, nozzle lips upon said nozzle, a stationary air tunnel within said nozzle interiorly connected with the atmosphere and having a downwardly facing opening, lips movably mounted relationary air tunnel within said nozzle interiorly connected with the atmosphere and having a downwardly facing opening, pivoted lips sealed to said tunnel at the sides of the opening therein, a lip-actuating mechanism comprising a toggle connected to said lips, and a driven shaft connected to said toggle and imparting a reciprocating arcuate movement thereto.

Signed at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 9th day of F ebruary, A. D. 1931.

WILLIAM D. SELLERS. 

